Complimentary Commercial Content The availability of an effective, non-NSAID monthly treatment for canine osteoarthritis pain is an exciting advance for everyone who cares about improving quality of life for dogs, owners and veterinary professionals, writes Kristen Green Seymour. She provides perspective on the significance of the approval Zoetis received for Librela™ … [Read more...]
Meet the 2023 Westminster group winners
Best of Show winner “Buddy Holly” a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen from the hound group has been all over the news since winning top dog honors on May 9th. Melanie Haid shares the other group winners who competed with more than 2,500 dogs representing more than 200 breeds. Source: AKC, May 10, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
The most dog-loving states in America
Colorado took the top spot as the most dog-loving state in America followed by Idaho and Arizona. Several metrics were used to determine how the states scored. Click the article link to see where your state ranked. Source: OurFitPets.com, May 10, 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: The scoring metrics are interesting. … [Read more...]
5 pet food brands being talked about
Includes Commercial Content Surveys of independent pet store owners revealed the top pet food brands they say are doing well in their stores: Fromm Family Foods Stella & Chewy’s Primal Pet Foods Zignature Northwest Naturals Goat milk received an honorable mention. Source: Pet Product News, May 2023. Link. INSIGHTS: Pet food questions are … [Read more...]
Room-by-room household pet poison checklist
This handy PDF tool covers potential toxins throughout homes and yards. Pet owners need to be consistently reminded of possible poisons that threaten their pets’ wellness. Here are some easy ways to share the information with clients: Share in your client newsletter Hand out at events Offer as a freebie to new clients Print and post in your clinic Share … [Read more...]
Make it clear!
One of the most overlooked, yet lethal forms of organizational rot is toxic ambiguity. Basically, killing people with fog. Source: AXIOS, May 4, 2023. Link. Many people feel foggy, even if leaders feel they are clear.” INSIGHT: The top priority is to make it clear to the recipient(s). … [Read more...]
Brazil detects HPAI in wild sea shore birds. USDA okays vaccination for endangered condors.
Commentary Southern Brazil seems miles away but the discovery of H5N1 avian flu in terns and a brown booby punctuates the imminent risk of managing biosecurity where wildlife, domestic animals and humans intersect. A review of the migratory bird flyways underscores the potential for the viral spread we’ve witnessed in recent months. Lisa Schnirring shares the situation … [Read more...]
Large-scale data breaches can compromise veterinary practices
Complimentary Content Cybersecurity is an ongoing process and not a one-time fix says Clint Latham, JD. He explains how data breaches in other sectors could affect security for veterinarians. The ripple effect of large-scale data breaches poses a significant yet often overlooked threat to the veterinary sector.” – Clint Latham, JD Source: LinkedIn, May 15, 2023. … [Read more...]
2022 Survey reveals alarming rates of pet obesity in the U.S.
In 2022, 59 percent of dogs and 61 percent of cats were classified as having obesity, an increase from the previous surveys conducted in 2018 and 2017. The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention is encouraging veterinary professionals to approach what can be a sensitive topic with compassion and provide resources and support to help pet owners achieve their pet's healthy … [Read more...]
Is there an appropriate age for horses to wear leg wraps?
Protective boots designed specifically for the task at hand are better-suited for leg protection than wrapping, according to Matthew Mackay-Smith, DVM. He says to avoid wraps unless using them under veterinary direction for a specific treatment and comments on the value of stable bandages. Source: The Paulick Report, May 10, 2023. Link. A healthy horse does not need to … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – May 11, 2023
Last week’s AHD Bulletin – Animal Health Digest Bulletin, May 4th, 2023. Link. Most read post(s) from May 4th  AHD Bulletin – Establishing rapport. Link. Shaping the onboarding experience. Link. Place keeper: 2023 Veterinary Conferences provided by Galaxy Vets. Link. 3 ways VMG is different from other veterinary membership organizations Source: … [Read more...]
Freemartins and Peter Pan heifers
Commentary Occasionally we run across terminology that is foreign to us. In the articles here, we share two such terms: freemartin and Peter Pan heifers.  Source: FEEDLOT, June 21, 2022. Link. Twins calves can be a challenge. But when one is a bull calf and the other a heifer often the heifer is a freemartin. Freemartin heifers are  females with an improperly developed … [Read more...]
Volunteers, veterinarians, vet students care for equine in rural Mexico
Rural Veterinary Experience Teaching and Service is a program that sends volunteer specialists and veterinary students to offer free care for hoses, mules and donkeys in remote areas of Mexica, Nicaragua and the United States. They’re also helping owners treat their animals more humanely than in generations past. The RVETS clinic fills a veterinary training gap as vet schools … [Read more...]
Horse arena footing facts
Our recent post on the pros and cons of training horses in deep sand <Link> attracted considerable attention. In this article, Christa LestĂ©-Lasserre, MA, shares what equine scientists are learning about footing and its connection to lameness and other health issues. Source: The Horse, July 13, 2022. Link. As studies on surfaces continue, we’re finding that the … [Read more...]
How to trim nails on a dog that gives you a hard time
Commentary As a dog owner, articles like this remind me of the importance of routinely keeping my dog’s nails trimmed to avoid issues with muscles, joints or injuries. He’s only a 16 pound Morkie but Li’l Buddy does not like anyone trimming his nails.” Despite using all the tips and tricks, nail trimming is not a fun exercise at our house. Thankfully, we have a local nail … [Read more...]
11 possible reasons dog rub their faces
Author Sarah Anderson shares reasons dogs rub their faces on carpets, grass, their owners and more including allergies, eye infections, removing eye boogers and more . . . Source: PUPvine, May 13, 2022. Link. INSIGHTS: Consider this article for social media and newsletters to help dog owners know what is normal and when to consider a veterinary visit. … [Read more...]
Cats, laser pointers and more satisfying ways to play
Cats’ prey drive makes chasing a laser’s red light a thrill for them and their owners. But, because there’s no way to reward the hunt, some cats get frustrated and can change the attack to the closest thing available, says Samantha Bell. Ending laser time by pointing the dot to a wand toy helps complete the predation cycle. Experts recommend following playtime with mealtime … [Read more...]
7 shades of dog vomit and a color chart too
A dog’s vomit can be a huge pinwheel of colors, writes Tina Foster. She shares a dog vomit color chart showing the colors of dog vomit determined by the type and source of food and different health problems that can cause dog vomiting. Source: PUPvine, March 25, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Pet clothing craze comes with health risks
Veterinarians caution that pet owners need to be aware of the line between the benefits of clothes, and the various pitfalls associated with them, including the potential for physical and psychological effects. Source: VIN News Service, April 27, 2023. Link. The pet fashion craze raises questions about its underlying drivers and durability, while stoking discussion in the … [Read more...]
3 values tell more about U.S. pet owners than demographics
Commentary Asserting that traditional demographics can be misleading, David Allison urged marketers to consider common values among pet owners. Three values provide more common ground than pet owners’ demographics and can reveal more meaningful ways to appeal to dog, cat and other pet owners: Personal responsibility Trustworthiness Experiences Source: PETFOOD … [Read more...]
After the first visit, 4 opportunities to talk about pet insurance
Sponsored Content from ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance Increasing the number of clients with pet insurance in a veterinary practice frequently results in increased clinic revenue through more frequent visits, and more services accessed per visit while reducing the struggle of financing veterinary procedures. Jennifer Sperry, BSc, DVM, shares life stage opportunities and some … [Read more...]
Virtual VCPR approved in Arizona!
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has signed SB 1503, opening Arizona to a virtual VCPR with safeguards. Arizona pet owners and pets can now access veterinary care wherever they live. Mark L. Cushing, JD, shared the law is expected to take effect in August 2023. Source: Veterinary Virtual Care Association, LinkedIn, May 9, 2023. Link. … [Read more...]
Apologize properly when something goes wrong
Mistakes happen. We are human after all. Tim Riesterer shares how to deal with mistakes and the importance of an apology message and intentionally delivering it to the customer. When delivered well, an apology message can improve the customer relationship to the point where it is stronger than if the mistake had never happened, a phenomenon known as the service recovery … [Read more...]
Pain management in cattle: Drug dilemma
With few pain-relief drugs on the market for cattle, producers and veterinarians must know their options, writes Heather Smith Thomas. The situation underscores the importance of the VCPR to provide the regulatory foundation for a practitioner to work with the producer to provide medications for extra-label use when considered necessary. One of the challenges in the U.S. is … [Read more...]
Tips to prepare cattle for summer
Gregg Hanzlicek, DVM, PhD, says vaccinations and ear tags are key to maintaining herd health. He urges producers to review their vaccination and parasite control programs and plan for fly control including insecticide ear tag rotation. Source: Angus Beef Bulletin Extra, April 26, 2023. Link. Vaccinations should be given 45-60 days before the bulls will be released with the … [Read more...]
Implanting nursing calves
Implanting nursing calves has consistently shown to be an effective way to post greater calf weights at weaning time. In fact, Grady Ruble says implanting has the greatest return on investment of any other technology. . . . deciding to implant nursing calves is more important than which implant to use.” Source: FEEDLOT, March 22, 2023. Link. Generally, branding makes for a … [Read more...]
Pelvic bone stress and fatigue fractures in endurance horses
There are pros and cons of training horses in deep sand. Researchers investigated how footing affects equine athletes. While muscles adapt to the sand environments their findings show endurance horses training and competing in deep sand are at risk of pelvic fractures or bone stress injuries. Source: EquiManagement, May 1, 2023. Link. An endurance horse that works in deep … [Read more...]
Horse bites are serious business
Portuguese researchers reported that horses are considered reservoirs of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Horses can spread bacteria in their mouths throughout the environment, to other animals and to humans through their saliva. . . . equine bite wounds should be taken seriously because of the plethora of highly resistant bacteria and its zoonotic capabilities found inside … [Read more...]
Study finds lifetime cost of horse can be 4 times higher than expected
On an annual basis, the all-in costs for owning a horse range from around $8,600 to $26,000, not including events or operating expenses, according to a Synchrony study. It estimates the lifetime costs range from $300,000 to $924,000. Source: DVM 360, April 26, 2023. Link. Helping horse owners clearly understand the full financial commitment and the financing options they … [Read more...]
Ways to make an older dog’s life better
Mary Gardner, DVM, refers to some older dogs as “geriatric,” which she says is a more fragile phrase for them. She says many vet schools don’t address the special needs of these gray-muzzled and wobbly dogs that often need modifications at home. She visits homes where dogs have been struggling to get around and be comfortable that often have easy problems to fix. Source: The … [Read more...]